


Ready Now

by TidbitsAndThoughts



Series: Song Fic Stories [11]
Category: A Hat in Time (Video Game)
Genre: Brief blood mention, Stitches, hazzah!, nothing graphic though
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-12
Updated: 2020-09-12
Packaged: 2021-03-07 01:28:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,328
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26428630
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TidbitsAndThoughts/pseuds/TidbitsAndThoughts
Summary: Moonjumper spends his first day out of moon prison with Hattie! Will he find his voice after centuries of silence? If Hattie has anything to say about it, he will!This fic is based on Ready Now by Dodie! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gt3Fwn2aM20 Please enjoy and let me know what you think!
Series: Song Fic Stories [11]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1884079
Comments: 7
Kudos: 64





	Ready Now

A warm tantalizing smell woke Moonjumper. He opened his eyes with a start, blinking wearily at the colorful room around him and the soft, comfortable pillows beneath him. On his stomach sat a small plush rainbow sheep with a note balanced on its snout. The sight was a vast difference from what he had been accustomed to for so long. He glanced down at his wrists, finding only the cuffs of the cellar chains that were untethered to anything. Lifting a hand to his neck, he found it free too, but searching a little higher, he winced when his fingered brushed against sewn lips.

Right. A lot had happened the day before. Hattie and Snatcher had found him, tried to free him, and Vanessa had come. The memory of her nearly freezing the two still filled Moonjumper with dread, his chest seizing painfully. But, he reminded himself, it was over. It had all turned out for the better.

Shaking his head, he gingerly plucked the note from the sheep. Scrawled in excited handwriting was, “In kitchen! Come over when you’re up!” Moonjumper breathed out, leaning back and holding the note to his chest. With his free hand, he stroked the plush sheep, careful not to bump its crown.

The sheep was very soft, he decided, glad to have a companion as he tried to calm his breathing. Nervous? Excited? Elated? He wasn’t sure what he was feeling but it good. Knowing that Hattie and maybe Snatcher were near and that Vanessa was far away was good. Different. Strange. But good. Safe.

He pushed himself up, after a moment of collecting himself. Before leaving, he floated over to the bed and placed the sheep in the middle of the bedspread. He gave it one last pat and then turned to go.

When he entered the main room, the tantalizing smell grew stronger. Though it had been centuries, he recognized the scent of sizzling bacon with his mouth watering. Memories of breakfast shared around a table came to the forefront of his mind. Hoping to catch a similar scene in Hattie’s kitchen, he pushed onward.

“Watch your hands, you little hooligan!” Snatcher’s gruff voice scolded as Moonjumper pushed open the kitchen door.

Before him, Hattie was jumping around Snatcher, who had shifted into his prince form. He held a frying pan with sizzling and popping bacon just out of reach of her grasping fingers while he crossed over to the table.

“It smells so good!” Hattie cheered before her eyes flickered over to the ghost lingering in the doorway. “Papa!” She waved.

Being called “Papa” was something he had never thought would be possible again and it squeezed his heart like a tight hug. He waved softly back, tilting his head towards the door to lean on it. He was content to just watch, of course. Not wanting to intrude on their breakfast, he hovered in the doorway and awkwardly ran his hand through his dark blue hair.

Hattie gave him a funny look before running over and holding out her hand. Raising an eyebrow, he slipped his cold palm against hers and she led him over to the table, skipping all the way.

“I’ll be on my way in a second,” Snatcher explained as he tilted the pan over a plate and used the wooden spoon and slippery grease of the bacon to coax the strips out. “I’ve got new contractors to watch stumble around.”

“He’s going to help them make homes to stay in,” Hattie staged-whispered towards Moonjumper.

“Kid, I will eat all of this bacon if you keep undermining my authority.” As if to prove his point, Snatcher grabbed a piece of bacon with grease still frothing before tossing it back with a satisfied smirk.

“You’re a tough and cruel negotiator,” Hattie lamented dramatically.

Moonjumper smiled before he could stop himself. His lips burned from the movement and he winced. His smile faltered before settling down into a thin line. Snatcher, golden eyes having watched Moonjumper, tore his gaze away.

“Well, look at the time, unlike the two others in this room, I have a job.” Snatcher stretched his arms. His form wavered before stretching and melding into his normal, snake-like body. “If I don’t catch you vagabonds in the forest, I’ll be back tonight.”

“Okay!” Hattie looked up with a beam as he plucked her hat from her head and ruffled her hair. She let out a startled squeak before laughing as he pulled his hand away and plopped her hat back down. While Hattie readjusted her hair and hat, Snatcher snatched another bacon strip and floated by Moonjumper.

“Don’t let the kid bully you.” Snatcher tossed a wink before slipping out of the kitchen.

“Come sit with me!” Hattie ordered, plopping down on the chair at the table and gesturing to the other one. “I’ll have to get another stool so the three of us can sit together. Do you want to go shopping with me? Mafia Town has some shops but the nomads in Alpine Skyline might have some good advice on how to make comfy stools.”

She rambled as he gingerly lowered himself onto the other stool, propping his arm on the table as he watched her.

“A building project could be fun!” Her bright blue eyes lit up like the summer sky as she reached out for a bacon strip, tapping a piece tentatively before confirming it was safe to hold. “Dad can sew. You probably can to, and I know some building tricks!” She paused long enough to bite into the bacon, the silence being filled with chewing.

Moonjumper looked away, eyes wandering to the silverware at his seat. He absentmindedly picked up a fork and twiddled it between his idle fingers. Feeling her gaze on him, he glanced up, tilting his head.

“Are you okay?” Hattie asked after swallowing her bacon.

He nodded, but with his lips still aching from his earlier smile, he kept his features blank. Hattie clicked her tongue on the roof of her mouth.

“You know there’s plenty of bacon here…” She trailed off, glancing from his lips to her plate before muttering, “sorry, I just thought it might… nevermind.”

Oh. Had she hoped he could eat with her?

In his surprise at her comments, Moonjumper flicked his finger on the fork a little too hard and it catapulted away from the table. The clink of metal as it flipped through the air grabbed Hattie’s attention and she looked up as Moonjumper lurched out his hand. A thread of crimson whipped after the fork and wrapped around it inches from the ground. He yanked the fork back and quickly put it down on the table before assuming a nonchalant pose where he leaned forward and propped his chin on his hand. If he had legs, they would be crossed. He blinked innocently at Hattie and she burst out laughing.

Moonjumper had to work overtime to keep from smiling but her laughter was infectious. Tears welled in his eyes as a mirthful feeling soared in his chest. He snorted, a smirk stretching his lips, but the pain barely dampened the joy he felt, listening to her ringing laugh. His smirk soon shifted into a wince, though, as the ache grew.

“Oh, sorry!” Hattie wheezed out, her giggles diminishing when she caught his pained expression as his features slowly fell back into calm, steady lines. “I didn’t realize it could hurt to smile.” Her eyes had grown wide.

Moonjumper shook his head, chin still in his palm. He reached over with his free hand and booped her nose, hoping that conveyed that he didn’t mind.

“Okay,” Hattie breathed, dipping her head sheepishly. “But… if you could break out of the prison… can’t you… take out the threads?”

He blinked down at the table, pulling his hand back and exhaling heavily. He knew he needed to try. He wanted to try. But he wasn’t sure… It was just that when he broke out of the prison, it was to protect Hattie and Snatcher. They had _needed_ him.

He couldn’t imagine they needed his voice.

“If it hurts too much, then it’s okay.” Hattie reached out and placed her bacon-y fingers on his hand. “But I want to listen. I want to talk with you.”

Touched, Moonjumper met her kind, imploring gaze. Did she really want to hear him that much? Not wanting to fail her further than he already had, he pulled his hand back. Holding his fingers close to his lips, he closed his eyes and tried to calm his breathing. He attempted to will the thread out, but nothing happened. Placing a finger on one of the stitches, his lip ached, and he pulled his hand away, grimacing.

No good. He had failed again.

“Ah, sorry!” Hattie reached up and grabbed his hand in hers. “It’s okay, we can try something else, if that sounds better?”

He nodded, keeping his features as blank as he could while swallowing the lump in his throat.

“Hmm,” Hattie let go of his hand and grabbed more bacon. “Well, what would you like to do today? Oh! Maybe we can see a movie? My friends, the Conductor and DJ Grooves, should let us watch some of their old movies! We don’t have to talk for that! Or we could stroll around Subcon?”

Moonjumper thought for a moment. He wasn’t quite clear on the concept of movies, but from watching people in the moon he had gathered it was just another way of partaking in a story. And, he wasn’t feeling ready to return to Subcon just yet, not now that others could see him and that the subconites might recognize him even if he wore his mask.

He held up a single finger to answer her question. 

“Wait? Oh, no! The first one. So, movie?” Hattie beamed when he nodded. “Great! Let me just finish eating.”

Once she had finished breakfast between chatting about Dead Bird Studios and the movies she had starred in, she jumped to her feet and took his hand. The two ambled into the engine room, where gears and bronze tones created the look of a warm room, though it was colder than the kitchen, no doubt to keep the machines in tip-top shape.

Hattie jumped up the ramp leading to a telescope similar to the one in her bedroom and Moonjumper was about to follow, when he realized that music was playing beneath the cranking of gears. He paused, furrowing his brows, before following the haunted notes.

In the corner of the engine room, stood four dapperly dressed owls playing a song. Moonjumper ducked back, surprised that there were others on her ship. Luckily, they didn’t seem to notice him, and he listened.

The music had a primarily triumphant tone, the notes chasing each other in swift and exciting builds. But then the melody would become haunted with danger or, Moonjumper thought with a lurch in his chest, would dip down into such a yearning sequence he couldn’t help but think of Subcon forest from back when he was alive. The puttering sunlight between leaves long gone, the days he would read outside only to fall asleep against a sturdy tree, all ached in his heart.

“Papa?” Hattie walked up, following his gaze. “Oh, they’re the Wowls. They like practicing on my ship. Do you… want to see if you can join them?”

Moonjumper looked down pensively. He would… he would very much like to play a song. It had been so long, after all. Hattie, seeming to sense his hesitation, gently slipped her hand into his and pulled him over to the owls.

“Hey, Kid,” the owl with the trumpet greeted while the three behind him kept playing. “We were just about to break after this song, but what’s up? Any requests?”

“Actually, could we borrow your piano when you’re done?” Hattie smiled.

“Of course.” The owl nodded, a smile on his beak. “Just give us a second.”

Moonjumper floated slightly behind Hattie, closing his eyes as he listened to the vibrant conclusion to their song. Once the band members gave each other notes, they tucked away their instruments and ambled out of the room, twittering merrily.

“Alright!” Hattie jumped over to the piano and pressed her hands on it. “What will you play?”

Moonjumper hovered over to the piano, lowering onto the bench with excitement building. He flexed his fingers before tapping a key. A clear sound rang out and he breathed, his shoulder’s relaxing. It was a sound he had made. Comforted, he was reminded he existed and—even as a ghost—he impacted the world. It was time to fill the room with music and sounds of his making.

He tried out a few simple measures. The typical warm-ups like hot cross buns or other musical nursery rhymes from Subcon. Once his frost-bitten fingers had warmed up, he glanced towards Hattie, who was leaning forward excitedly. He remembered the music box.

Scooting over, he patted the bench and Hattie immediately sat down. He lifted his hands and played the tune he had written for her long ago. Her eyes lit up, and once he transitioned from the opening to the verses, Hattie joined in, singing along to his playing.

“ _Shooting star, darting across the sky, may you never have a reason to cry,”_ she sang, bobbing her head to his rhythm. “ _Though shadows linger and nights grow cold, my love is with you, yours to always hold_.”

He noticed her squint down at his hands, her fingers tapping on her legs as she sang. Getting an idea, Moonjumper shifted behind her and continued playing. Her singing trailed off as she watched his fingers intently. He slowed down and played a single bar for her before pulling his hands back. She lifted her hands and tried to mimic his movement. She missed a key and played at a sluggish pace, but once she finished the bar, she tilted her head back and smiled up at him.

He felt his heart soar and immediately played another bar. She turned back around, following his lead. But soon, she seemed content to place her hands on his while he played, feeling the music through him.

“ _Where’ver life takes you, you have my heart. No time or distance can keep us apart_ ,” she sang again, softly.

Moonjumper could hear the smile in her voice and the lump returned to his throat. He felt he might burst. He leaned down, pressing his forehead to her hat for a moment before returning his attention to the keys and balancing her palms on his hands as his fingers danced across the piano.

“ _Young star, know you will always shine_.”

He wanted so badly to sing with her. Her voice was filled with love and he desperately desired to return the affection. Tears burned in the corners of his eyes.

“ _For you hold light that once was mine_.”

Hattie stiffened slightly as the music paused. Feeling his tremble against her back, she slowly turned around.

“Papa?”

Moonjumper shook his head apologetically, pulling back his hands and rubbing at the drops leaking from his eyes. He felt an ache in his lips and Hattie gasped. Concerned, he glanced down, holding out his hand. Something red was floating gently away from his mouth.

Eyes widening, Moonjumper formed his hand into a cup as his lips ached. The scarlet thread wove through the air and into his palm, coiling until the last tug pulled away from his raw lips. His mouth opened.

“Ah—” he immediately clamped his hand to his mouth, meeting Hattie’s excited features meekly. His voice just sounded so small and so strange. It was the same voice he had in life, the same voice as Snatcher but without the ghostly reverb. It was the same but felt so foreign on his tongue.

“You did it!” Hattie squealed, scrambling around and throwing her arms around him.

Moonjumper froze, blinking back more tears. Slowly, he tilted his hand, letting the thread fall away, and uncovered his lips, finding a little red on his hand and a metallic taste in his mouth.

Swallowing thickly, he returned Hattie’s embrace, burying his face into her hair.

“Th—” he tried to whisper, but his tongue felt thick and the vibration of sound felt too strange. He tightened his hold on his daughter and pushed out with a slight whine, “ _Hattie_.”

She hugged him tighter as hushed sobs trickled from his lips. He gasped and less-than-pleasant crying sounds lurched from his chest, but he was too busy holding her to try and hold his tears back. Hattie waited, hugging him and rubbing his back lightly as they perched on the piano bench.

He wasn’t sure how long they lingered, but eventually, Moonjumper’s tears faded and his breathing returned to normal. Hattie leaned back, meeting his red-rimmed eyes gently.

“Are you okay?” She asked, pushing a lock of hair out of his eyes.

He nodded and let out a shaking sigh.

“Do your lips still hurt? Hold on!” Scrambling off the piano chair, she darted away. After a moment where Moonjumper rubbed at the dry tears, she returned with a small first aid kit and a glass of water.

“I don’t actually know the best way to take care of lips, but I have this pon cream!” She placed the kit on the bench next to the water and began pulling items out of the kit. She pushed a container with a heart on the label into his hand as she continued, “it’s safe for ingestion—but I guess if you’re a ghost it doesn’t matter anyway—so putting some on your lips should help with the wounds. Here’s a towel you can dip in the water and clean up a little.”

“Th-thank you,” he breathed out, his voice shaking.

“Of course!” She beamed up at him.

While he placed the pon cream down to dab a little water on his dry lips, Hattie jumped onto the bench on his other side and started playing the bars of the lullaby he taught her. When she missed a note, she corrected herself before he could. He listened to her slow attempts to getting the music just right.

Meanwhile, dabbing a little water on his aching lips soothed his raw skin immensely. Then, he gingerly pressed the pon cream into the wounds. The cracked skin started to heal and the pain dulled. Once his lips felt rejuvenated for the first time in centuries—not healed one hundred percent, of course, but feeling better than ever—he leaned his cheek down onto Hattie’s hat and closed his eyes as she played. He waited until she restarted the melody for the verses.

“ _Lovely star_ ,” he whispered with only a hint of music in his worn voice, “ _if you go beyond even the moon, remember me by this enchanted tune._ ” He cleared his throat, keeping his eyes closed. Hattie continued playing, though her fingers sounded lighter as she tapped the keys.

“ _And should you forget even the sun above,_ ” he continued with a little more song in his voice.

“ _Never forget how much you’re loved_.” Hattie chimed in so that they sang the last line together.

“That was fun!” She leaned against his arm, pulling away from the piano.

He nodded in agreement.

“Did—did you still want to see the movie? I think we have time.” Hattie looked up at him with imploring eyes.

Moonjumper snorted before wrapping an arm around her shoulder and giving her a squeeze. He nodded, content with anything so long as it was with her.

He wasn’t sure how, but he felt multitudes lighter than he had when he got up that morning. Was it the singing? The fact his lips felt like they were finally starting to heal? Or was it just that he could share a smile with his beloved daughter?

Hattie started to move to get up, but Moonjumper gave her a brief squeeze.

“Hattie,” he whispered in a cracking voice that grew stronger every moment, “I love you.”

“I love you too, Papa.” Hattie returned his squeeze. “Now let’s go! Since you can eat, we can get a ship-load of snacks.”

She jumped off the bench and he followed her lead.

The rest of the afternoon was spent in a studio, watching a double feature. One was a western and one was space-themed, according to Hattie. Moonjumper hadn’t been prepared for all the action in the movies, but Hattie seemed excited as they passed candy boxes filled with chocolates or gummies back and forth. It had been a while since he had last eaten, but the chocolates were particularly delightful on his tongue. It was easier to eat than speak, anyway.

After the two bird directors tried to get father and daughter to pick the best film which had swiftly dissolved into bickering with each other, Moonjumper and Hattie returned to the ship. Wonderful smells came from the kitchen and Hattie dragged Moonjumper up to investigate.

Snatcher was cooking again. Bacon, pancakes, and a box of cereal piled on the counter. Cinnamon warmed the air.

“Kiddo, you need to get more than just breakfast ingredients,” Snatcher grumbled without turning around, flipping a pancake by giving the frying pan a sharp flick. From the doorway, Moonjumper could see the swirl of cinnamon and sugar inlaid into the pancake. Closing his eyes, he inhaled the comforting smell.

“Mother’s pancakes,” he said quietly.

If Snatcher had skin, it looked as if he would have jumped out of it. Turning his head, the shadow prince’s glowing eyes were wide with fright and his yellow mouth was pressed into a tight line. Slowly, recognition dawned on his features and he quickly smirked.

“You found your voice, Moonboy,” Snatcher let out an airy laugh, turning back to the task at hand. “Still a little raspy, though.”

“Do you want some water?” Hattie asked, tugging on Moonjumper’s sleeve.

He nodded and Hattie scampered towards the cupboard and sink. She and Snatcher moved around each other like they had been making meals together their whole lives instead of just a week. When Hattie reached for the cupboard, Snatcher reached under her to slide the pancake onto the tower of others. Once Hattie wrapped her hands around a mug and lost her balance, Snatcher stretched out an arm to steady her and she jumped down. He turned on the sink for her and she reached onto her tiptoes, filling the mug with water.

“Oh! We need another chair,” Hattie cried as she handed the mug to Moonjumper.

“Don’t fret, Kiddo.” Snatcher snapped his fingers and summoned a wooden stool. He handed it over to Hattie and grabbed the plates piled with pancakes and bacon. Hattie went back for the cereal box and hugged it to her chest before returning to the table.

“Did you guys have the biggest feasts when you were the prince?” Hattie wondered as she plopped down on the wooden stool and Moonjumper took her right and Snatcher sat on her left.

The ghosts shared a glance before Snatcher shrugged.

“Usually if there was company.” He snagged a strip of bacon while Hattie set to making a plate with pancakes and smothering them in syrup. “But, the fancier the food the less I—we—could eat.” He gave Moonjumper a curious glance, seeming unsure if Moonjumper agreed.

Moonjumper nodded, causing Snatcher to look relieved, while Hattie pushed the plate swimming in syrup with bacon teetering on the edge over to Moonjumper.

“Oh, I hope the pancakes aren’t too fancy then.” Hattie suddenly looked alarmed.

“Aha, no. If pancakes counted as fancy in the castle, we would have been rolled out of the dining hall every night.” Snatcher started to reach for an empty plate and Hattie whirled around smacking his hand.

“Um, ow!” Snatcher exclaimed, more from shock than pain.

“I want to serve you, too!” She shot him a challenging glare. Snatcher folded his hands together, leaning on the table with his elbows as he relented.

Moonjumper snorted, gingerly reaching down to grab a strip of bacon with his mouth watering.

“Is this good?” Hattie directed the question to Moonjumper. “I didn’t give you too much? Or did you want more bacon?”

“This is all I need,” he promised, his voice airy, like a too strong gust might blow it away. But from the way she beamed at the words, he found he wasn’t worried about it. She would always find his voice again; he was certain of it.

“Thanks, Squirt.” Snatcher moved his elbows off of the table when Hattie pushed his own plate swimming with syrup in front of him. “Got something against the pancakes though? Drowning them seems like a cruel and unusual punishment.”

“The syrup makes them a bazillion times better.” Hattie grinned, while proceeding to smother her own pancakes.

Moonjumper smiled before taking a bite of his bacon. A bit of syrup had gotten onto the tip but the dollop of sweetness melded seamlessly with the salty and meaty flavor. He closed his eyes, humming as warmth and delight overwhelmed his senses.

Feeling eyes on him, he turned, and Snatcher quickly looked away, but Hattie’s joy shined unabashedly on her features.

Moonjumper chuckled a little, giving her a fond boop before she returned her own attention to her meal. She took a large bite of dripping pancakes and hummed as well.

The warmth in his chest grew and he marveled at how such a simple joy of sharing a meal with his loved ones could feel so safe, so special.

Glancing up, Moonjumper found Snatcher was grinning, watching Hattie enjoy the pancakes. Snatcher caught Moonjumper’s gaze and shrugged, his golden eyes shining with love and hope.

This promise of hope Hattie gave them, Moonjumper realized as he took another bite of heavenly bacon, was enough to finally feel free.

He would cherish it always.

**Author's Note:**

> As always, thank you so much for reading! I have two more songs I want to write something for so keep an eye out for later next week. They should be shorter, more epilogue-y but I also thought this fic would be 1,300 less than what it ended up being so who knows? Not me! Please let me know what you think and thank you for joining me on this song-filled journey! Hope you're having a lovely and restful day!


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